Photo of Roosevelt Lake by Jim Keyworth
95 percent of anglers now catch and release
A proposal to remove the slot limit at Roosevelt Lake will be considered by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission at its Aug. 6-7 meeting in Phoenix.
The commission will be considering a department recommendation to remove the slot limit, in part because most anglers now practice catch-and-release, but also because this popular lake in the Tonto Basin is experiencing tremendous productivity.
When the slot limit was first initiated in 1990, the catch rates were down to .12-bass per hour, which is normally considered poor fishing. At that time, a significant percentage of anglers strived to catch their limit, not limit their catch; at that time, 51 percent of anglers caught and kept their fish. The objective of the slot limit was to increase the catch rates on bass and also increase the average size of bass.
Now through intensive sampling, biologists have determined that the bass population is healthy, reproduction is good, size classes are well balanced, and bass grow-outs are superb.
In addition, creel surveys show that less than 7 percent of anglers are actually harvesting bass at Roosevelt. That means 95 percent of the anglers are practicing catch-and-release.
“Socially, the angling public has changed. The current day angler is more conservation and recreation oriented, not consumption oriented. Most limit their catch rather than catching their limit. It’s a healthy trend for our fishery resources,” says Chris Cantrell, the Mesa regional fisheries program manager.
Cantrell explained that when there are low harvest rates, protective slot limits do little to affect fish population structures and become irrelevant.
“What this really means is that at Roosevelt, the slot limit is no longer accomplishing its original intent,” says Cantrell. “It is time to remove the slot limit here. Then we will continue to evaluate the fishery.”
The commission meetings start at 8 a.m. on both days at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters located on 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix (just 1.5 miles west of Interstate 17).
The Roosevelt slot issue is coming before the commission during the Saturday, Aug. 7 portion of the meeting. Other agenda items for the Saturday portion of the commission meeting include:
Program updates and briefings on shooting ranges and shooting sports activities; information and education efforts; and wildlife recreation activities.
Request for approval to complete negotiations for the acquisition of Horseshoe Ranch in Yavapai County.
The commission may vote to take action or provide the department with direction on the agenda items.
The public has three options for viewing the meeting: (1) Attend the meeting in person in Phoenix; (2) View it via video stream at one of five Game and Fish regional offices (Note: The Flagstaff office is temporarily unavailable for viewing the meeting due to office construction); (3) View it over the Web at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam.
Those wishing to submit “blue slips” to present oral comment during the meeting must do so either in person at the Phoenix meeting or at one of the five Game and Fish regional offices showing the video stream.
The Friday, Aug. 6 portion of the meeting begins with an executive session at 8 a.m., followed by the public meeting. Among the items on Friday’s agenda are:
Program updates or briefings on state and federal legislation; lands and habitat; law enforcement; nongame subprogram activities; and a special briefing given by the National Wild Turkey Federation on its activities within Arizona.
Hearings on license revocations for violations of Game and Fish codes and civil assessments for the illegal taking and/or possession of wildlife (2 p.m. time certain).
Request for approval of a two-year cooperation with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to translocate Merriam’s turkeys from Arizona to Utah.
For a complete agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam and click on the meeting agenda link.
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